Royal changing to 1x day room cleaning

[sam_gordon]

They're talking about this over on CC and I thought those who don't frequent over there might want to know...

Royal is changing on their ships (in the coming weeks if not already changed) so there is only one "room cleaning" a day. It used to be one in the morning (clean, straighten beds, etc) and one in the evening (turn down service, clean).

Some seem really upset about it.

 

[mom2missmous]

They're talking about this over on CC and I thought those who don't frequent over there might want to know...

Royal is changing on their ships (in the coming weeks if not already changed) so there is only one "room cleaning" a day. It used to be one in the morning (clean, straighten beds, etc) and one in the evening (turn down service, clean).

Some seem really upset about it.

Yet another example of RCCL pay more get less! We have a cruise booked on the Wonder of the Seas for September 2024 ,now trying to decide if we want to look elsewhere as the cutbacks continue . Another change that we found disappointing was limiting lobster to only one unless you pay add-on price
(this is the one big treat my husband looks forward to on each cruise- he does love to have that second one .) Little things I know, but it is the little things that when added together make the cruise experience special!

 

[sam_gordon]

Yet another example of RCCL pay more get less! We have a cruise booked on the Wonder of the Seas for September 2024 ,now trying to decide if we want to look elsewhere as the cutbacks continue . Another change that we found disappointing was limiting lobster to only one unless you pay add-on price
(this is the one big treat my husband looks forward to on each cruise- he does love to have that second one .) Little things I know, but it is the little things that when added together make the cruise experience special!

We're planning (haven't booked yet) for July 2024. I'm hoping RCCL reverts back to the old policies, or if not, there's a price drop on the cruise.

If they don't we'll still go and have a great time. The 1x/day cabin service is still better than what's happening in hotels now. While I'd like a 2nd lobster, it's not that big a deal to me.

 

[laceltris3]

Here’s what I don’t get. If they service your room once in the morning, and you have a family and need the pull out, will they come just take out the bed in the evening, or is your only choice to leave the bed out all day or pull it out yourself?

I would much prefer it if they offered an incentive to decline a second service, like OBC or additional status points points to decline.

 

[ruthies12]

@sam_gordon What is CC may I ask? I just booked my first cruise for next year and am looking for another chat room that may have more cruise-specific traffic than disboards....TIA!

 

[sam_gordon]

@sam_gordon What is CC may I ask? I just booked my first cruise for next year and am looking for another chat room that may have more cruise-specific traffic than disboards....TIA!

CC = "cruisecritic.com". Basically the Disboards for cruises. There is information on every cruise line, port of call, and departure port.

 

[ruthies12]

@sam_gordon Thank you!!

 

[John VN]

Lobster Limit - don't eat = doesn't bother us but I can understand the disappointment being expressed by many -- like still getting the 1,000 sheets only way - WAY smaller.

1x cleaning = not a big deal for us. As soon as we see our room attendant we mention that there will be days we don't want - need morning service. On a 7 Day we might forgo 3 to 4 morning services.

 

[mom2missmous]

Lobster Limit - don't eat = doesn't bother us but I can understand the disappointment being expressed by many -- like still getting the 1,000 sheets only way - WAY smaller.

1x cleaning = not a big deal for us. As soon as we see our room attendant we mention that there will be days we don't want - need morning service. On a 7 Day we might forgo 3 to 4 morning services.

Another thought on this... since rooms are only serviced once per day, are they cutting the number of room stewards then? Or are they making them do other "jobs" on the cruise and consequently cutting staffing elsewhere. either way, prices up , service down?

 

[sam_gordon]

Another thought on this... since rooms are only serviced once per day, are they cutting the number of room stewards then? Or are they making them do other "jobs" on the cruise and consequently cutting staffing elsewhere. either way, prices up , service down?

According to folks on CC, they're increasing the number of rooms a steward is responsible for. Supposedly going from 18 rooms to 25.

 

[mom2missmous]

According to folks on CC, they're increasing the number of rooms a steward is responsible for. Supposedly going from 18 rooms to 25.

So if they are increasing the number of rooms they are responsible for, when you read between the lines it seems that they are either cutting staff or adding to their duties and using them elsewhere as well. There will be three of us in our cabin, one will require the sofa bed to be made up every evening. So does that mean either we have unmade beds all day and put away the sofa bed ourselves until they come in the evening to set up bed things or will we get beds made but have to deal with the pullout sofa bed ourselves? Or will they make beds but set up sofa so we have no couch all day? Unless they are going to make an exception for allowing time to adjust the extra bedding in rooms that have them this is not acceptable. Not good, RCCL!

 

[starry_solo]

So if they are increasing the number of rooms they are responsible for, when you read between the lines it seems that they are either cutting staff or adding to their duties and using them elsewhere as well. There will be three of us in our cabin, one will require the sofa bed to be made up every evening. So does that mean either we have unmade beds all day and put away the sofa bed ourselves until they come in the evening to set up bed things or will we get beds made but have to deal with the pullout sofa bed ourselves? Or will they make beds but set up sofa so we have no couch all day? Unless they are going to make an exception for allowing time to adjust the extra bedding in rooms that have them this is not acceptable. Not good, RCCL!

My guess is they make all the beds in the morning. In the evening, the steward may come in to put the sofa bed down, but not do anything to se it up?

 

[sam_gordon]

So if they are increasing the number of rooms they are responsible for, when you read between the lines it seems that they are either cutting staff or adding to their duties and using them elsewhere as well.

Or, it's also possible they're not able to entice enough workers to fully staff their needs. This cutting down to 1x/day and increasing the number of rooms for each steward might be their way of doing more with less.

There will be three of us in our cabin, one will require the sofa bed to be made up every evening. So does that mean either we have unmade beds all day and put away the sofa bed ourselves until they come in the evening to set up bed things or will we get beds made but have to deal with the pullout sofa bed ourselves? Or will they make beds but set up sofa so we have no couch all day? Unless they are going to make an exception for allowing time to adjust the extra bedding in rooms that have them this is not acceptable. Not good, RCCL!

That remains to be seen and I'm interested in the answer. However, we have travelled many times and stayed in hotels where we had to utilize sofa beds. We've NEVER had a hotel employee set up or tear down the sofa bed for our stay, much less every day. An inconvenience? Maybe a little.

 

[mom2missmous]

Or, it's also possible they're not able to entice enough workers to fully staff their needs. This cutting down to 1x/day and increasing the number of rooms for each steward might be their way of doing more with less.


That remains to be seen and I'm interested in the answer. However, we have travelled many times and stayed in hotels where we had to utilize sofa beds. We've NEVER had a hotel employee set up or tear down the sofa bed for our stay, much less every day. An inconvenience? Maybe a little.

True about hotels and sofa beds, but that is part of what makes cruising special, a little more service and attention to details. Most hotels do not have a room steward who introduces themselves and we regularly on a daily basis have interaction with. Nor do most hotels have me tip them as part of my bill directly. Our wonderful stateroom hosts as well as our dining room team have always been among our fondest cruise memories (although our last dining room team was not very good )Cruising, though it has many similarities to a stay in a land -based hotel does market itself differently . We as a group don't need much, don't mind if my bed is not turned down at night but I do expect that my bed will be made during the day and in the evening the extra bed is made ready(and made back into a couch during day).

 

[sam_gordon]

True about hotels and sofa beds, but that is part of what makes cruising special, a little more service and attention to details. Most hotels do not have a room steward who introduces themselves and we regularly on a daily basis have interaction with. Nor do most hotels have me tip them as part of my bill directly. Our wonderful stateroom hosts as well as our dining room team have always been among our fondest cruise memories (although our last dining room team was not very good )Cruising, though it has many similarities to a stay in a land -based hotel does market itself differently . We as a group don't need much, don't mind if my bed is not turned down at night but I do expect that my bed will be made during the day and in the evening the extra bed is made ready(and made back into a couch during day).

You might need to change your expectations is my point. If that's unacceptable, you might need to find another cruise line or vacation style.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Some of these comments are rich on a Disney forum which JUST got Daily Housekeeping back like what... last week?

 

[laceltris3]

That remains to be seen and I'm interested in the answer. However, we have travelled many times and stayed in hotels where we had to utilize sofa beds. We've NEVER had a hotel employee set up or tear down the sofa bed for our stay, much less every day. An inconvenience? Maybe a little.

In all of the hotels we have stayed in, we called the front desk and they sent someone up to the room to make the sofa bed In the evening. In mid level hotel chains as well as the higher end.

 

[sam_gordon]

In all of the hotels we have stayed in, we called the front desk and they sent someone up to the room to make the sofa bed In the evening. In mid level hotel chains as well as the higher end.

Never even considered calling.

 

[mikehn]

Im ok with cut backs, maybe they can cut their gratuities in half while they're at it.

 

[mjkacmom]

I know NCL and Carnival are down to once a day cleaning as well, there appears to be staffing issues post Covid.